The Butterfly Queen
by AwaitingActivation
Summary: He wept for the mournful butterfly flitting through the rose bushes...  Clarisse x Joseph  Chapter 2 is up!
1. Chapter 1: The Butterfly Queen

**Author's note:** Just some Clarisse x Joseph moments prior to Princess Diaries. :D

**Disclaimer:** It's terribly unnecessary, but I guess I'm still obligated to say that I do not own Princess Diaries in any way.

**The Butterfly Queen**

**Chapter 1: The Butterfly Queen**

"Do you think she's alright? She's never stayed out for this long a stretch before." A girl with blonde bushy pigtails whispered worriedly from the corner of her mouth, her eyes never leaving the regal figure that strolled along the rose bushes.

"I don't know – ooo but my feet are killing me already. Oh, she _does_ love the gardens so!" The other girl grumbled, as she shifted her weight from foot to foot irritably.

"Mine too," the blonde admitted with a wince, "But I completely understand. She deserves some cheering up, you know. I'd go half mad with grief myself, I would." A sudden chilly breeze swept by and she instinctively adjusted her maids cap and smoothed her rippling apron to undo its mischief.

Her friend's dazed brown eyes lit with sudden interest; the brunette forgot her burdened feet momentarily and joined in eagerly.

"Oh, that was the most tragic thing! To have both King Ruper – "

" – _mayherestinpeace_."

The maid flapped her hand impatiently.

"Yes, yes, _mayherestinpeace_…and Prince Philippe – now don't you start again!" She quickly warned with a wag of her finger.

Her friend gasped. "Susan! We have to observe the proper protocol!"

"Fine, fine, may he rest in peace too," Susan declared with exaggerated patience and muttered, while gazing longingly at a garden bench several yards away, "I quite envy him right now actually."

"_Susan_!"

"All I'm saying is, she's taken to spending _hours_ on end in this very stuffy – "

" – and enchanting." The girl with the pigtails offered eagerly.

"Thanks, Millie. Stuffy _and_ enchanting garden – ever since the accident – for the past five weeks! Oh I love our queen to bits, but I really can't take much more of this…" So absorbed in self-pity was the girl, that she missed the distant ominous rumble of thunder that rolled across the darkening sky.

Millie, herself, was hardly listening as she stared transfixed at her queen.

"It's such a lovely picture though, don't you think? The way her Majesty moves so _gracefully_ and _daintily_ from blossom to blossom", she said dreamily, flinging out her arms expressively, "Just like a flitting_ butterfly fairy_."

There was a prolonged pause.

"You've been reading Enid Blyton again, haven't you?" Susan accused, with raised eyebrows.

"O…only to my nieces!" The maid stuttered; cheeks reddened. "And don't you dare tell anyone about this!"

"Tell them what? That you compared our esteemed and beloved Queen Clarisse to an insect?" Susan teased.

"Oh? And _which_ insect was that?"

The maids gasped with a start at the sound of the low, quiet voice behind them. Wincing, they turned reluctantly, bracing themselves to face the wrath of the silent intruder.

Staring determinedly down, both red and shamefaced, Susan was the first to speak.

"We're sorry, Joe. We didn't mean any disrespect to her Majesty. We – "

"Do you know how much trouble you're in?" Joseph interjected with mock severity, tapping the ground with the slender, ebony umbrella he held in his hands.

"How much have you heard?" Susan joked weakly, but drooped under his stern gaze.

"I was being so silly!" Millie broke in nervously. "She just looked so beautiful…so graceful, the roses, the bushes, her hair, graceful…roses…"

Susan silenced her babbling friend with a surreptitious glare.

"And Millie here…uh…said her Majesty resembled…well…a butterfly…which _hardly_ counts as an insect!"

"…_fairy_." Millie corrected with a shy mumble.

The chief bodyguard had tried valiantly to resist the urge to smile at the young maid, who almost gushed as she spoke of Clarisse, but ended up turning away to conceal his grin. The maids, unfortunately, misread his reaction and flooded him with a fresh wave of apologies, hoping to charm him over.

Joseph quickly silenced them with a raised hand. He took off his shades and tucked them into his black leather coat. The maids relaxed. Of course, he was only teasing – they could see his blue eyes twinkling with mirth.

"What interesting conversations you both have." He remarked dryly, causing them to blush.

Clearing his throat, he assumed a more business-like tone. "Charlotte's attending to some administrative matters for her Majesty at the moment and asks that you prepare tea for the queen – preferably _before_ she catches a cold in this chilly weather."

"Oh but of course! I'll inform her Majesty at once!" Susan responded hurriedly.

"No, that's alright. Just prepare her tea – _I'll_ escort her in." Joseph was surprised to hear the possessive note that had entered his voice at his last statement. He was also slightly disturbed to catch the maids exchange a quick, meaningful glance. Had they noticed? Clearing his throat yet again, he dismissed the maids more gruffly than he intended to.

"Now scat."

Both Susan and Millie made a clumsy dash back to the palace, partly due to their overstrained calf muscles that felt stubbornly knotted and defiant.

Chuckling softly at the maids' hurriedly retreating backs, Joseph turned and directed his attention to the lone lady admiring her garden – who seemed oblivious to the rumpus that had been going on behind her. He shook his head appreciatively; all amusement had melted away.

The somber bodyguard watched her intently as she cradled each plump red blossom lovingly in turn with such grace and tenderness that –

Joseph blinked back tears, startled. Not again! What was the matter with him? He had become all choked up yet again! Why, lately it seemed he had become as sentimental as…as…a heartbroken poet on a rainy day! The head of Genovian security smiled ironically at the last thought, and quickly forced the embarrassing image out of his mind.

He made a move to approach his queen, but was quickly distracted by another threatening growl of thunder from the gloomy skies.

"Speaking of rain…" Joseph muttered to himself, shaking his umbrella loose while staring accusingly at the heavy grey clouds looming over the palace grounds.

**~T B C~**

**Author's note:** Thanks for reading! I promise to keep the brain juices flowing :D


	2. Chapter 2: A Kiss from the Rain

**Author's note:** Just some Clarisse x Joseph moments prior to Princess Diaries. :D We're at chapter 2 now, yay. Many thanks to my big brother who advised me, more than once, to be more fluid with the development of my ideas. It helped me immensely. So I hope you enjoy reading this – I certainly had fun writing it.

**Disclaimer:** It's terribly unnecessary, but I guess I'm still obligated to say that I do not own Princess Diaries in any way.

**The Butterfly Queen**

**Chapter 2: A Kiss from the Rain  
**

Queen Clarisse was vaguely aware that the sky overhead was darkening, but she simply could not bring herself to return to the palace. No, the queen was still quite unprepared to force herself into her usual forbidding shell of steely resolve, that so chafed at her soul, for all to recognise.

She was growing increasingly weary with all the pretence – the loneliness was gripping. At times, Clarisse feared she might just buckle under the weight of the crown. The queen sorely wished to confide these feelings of insecurity to someone..._someone _whom she could rely upon not to judge her.

Alas, just when she felt she needed Rupert the most...

Seeking refuge in her rose garden had helped preserve her sanity at least. It was here that she finally felt free to live out her grief and tend to her bleeding wounds.

Gently stroking the petals of a crimson rose blossom, thoughts of her beloved son filled her troubled mind.

"My poor Philippe…" Clarisse murmured sadly.

A rush of cool wind surged against the trimmed rose bushes, playfully rustling their leaves. The queen smiled serenely as she felt the chill air brush against her upturned face. Opening her brimming eyes as the breeze thinned, Clarisse sighed with some conviction.

_Well, I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be_.

She turned towards the palace, but a sudden flash of colour caught her attention. A quick search with her china blue eyes singled out a small pair of conjoint pale yellow fans edged with black, resting masterfully on a trembling leaf.

_Oh! A butterfly!_

Pleasantly surprised and quizzical that the fragile butterfly had not fled in alarm at the disturbance, the golden-haired lady edged closer to inspect the curious insect.

"Extraordi – !"

She choked. A _closer_ inspection revealed that there were, in fact, _two_ butterflies..._engaged_ _in_...

Queen Clarisse turned away instinctively, a blush creeping up her fair cheeks. She risked a sideways glance at the brazen pair, despite her reservations. It seemed most inappropriate to stare, but she had never seen two butterflies locked in passion before and it was all..._strangely compelling_.

They seemed so _calm_, displaying absolutely none of the...vigour so favoured by them humans. She leaned forward carefully, cleanly forgetting her embarrassment, and studied the preoccupied butterflies even more intently. Why, the entire process looked positively dignified.

"Glad to see you two are enjoying my garden." She murmured with a mischievous smile.

Still keeping a watchful eye over the two lovers, the queen amused herself by romanticising the idea of two lonesome butterflies so overwhelmed by the intoxicating scent of the mature roses about them, that they –

Her private musings were suddenly cut short by a husky chiding voice.

"You really shouldn't, your Majesty."

The queen spun around quickly, abashed.

"_Joseph_!"

"Staying out in the cold for hours on end isn't good for your health..." The black clad man continued, trailing off uncertainly as he was taken aback by her strong reaction.

"Did I startle you?" He asked, concerned.

"Haa...not really, I was just..."

She seemed oddly flustered.

Joseph's heart froze. Had she been crying again? A quick scan of her face made his shoulders sag with relief, but still left him confused.

The puzzled man did, however, notice how her eyes kept shifting to the bushes behind her. Curious, he tilted his head slightly to follow the trail of her frequent glances.

"_Mmmf – _!"

The queen dove to the ground on her knees with a strangled cry, throwing off her bodyguard completely.

"_Your Majesty_!" Joseph cried in utter shock, dropping to his knees with some difficulty. "What's wrong?"

Queen Clarisse was mortified. She thought she would die of embarrassment if Joseph caught her indulging in such an indelicate pursuit. Scenarios of future encounters with her personal bodyguard adorning his characteristic knowing smile flashed horribly in her mind.

Her mouth worked furiously.

"I...ah...think I dropped my watch here _somewhere_..." She stammered, blushing hotly.

She promptly began patting the grass about her desperately, while sneaking flurried glances back to the obsessive butterflies.

_For heaven's sake_! _Enough already_!

"Please, my queen! Menial tasks like these should be left to your subjects." The gallant man helped the distressed queen to her feet, wincing in the process.

_Good lord_! _They're still at it_!

Joseph was just about to kneel back down again to begin his painful search when he finally caught sight of the familiar glint of gold on Clarisse's left wrist. But – there it was! Her watch!

_Shoo_! _Shoo_! _Shoo_!

"I don't mean to be impertinent, your Majesty," Joseph began hesitantly, his eyebrows knotted in a baffled frown, "But don't you _already_ have your watch on?"

"Hmm...? My watch?"

She gasped in mock surprise as she looked to her wrist. "Why, you're absolutely right! Oh, how silly of me!"

Joseph stared steadily at the sheepish queen, feeling dazedly ambivalent.

"Perhaps you've been...er...out here for too long." He coughed delicately, the corners of his eyes crinkling up.

Clarisse resisted the urge to deliver an acidic retort and only responded with a strained smile. Seemingly satisfied, Joseph continued:

"I've already asked the girls to prepare your tea. Would you like me to escort you in, my queen?" He gestured invitingly with a hand, his black umbrella slung over his arm.

The queen smiled radiantly, causing, unbeknownst to her, Joseph's stomach to lurch and his heart to race.

_Oh bless you_!

Throwing one last incredulous glance at the endeavouring butterflies, she turned back to her bodyguard and nodded her acceptance gratefully.

"That's a _wonderful_ idea!"

They had just taken a step forward when Clarisse felt a cold drop of rain splash onto her cheek. Almost immediately, the queen's personal bodyguard whipped open his umbrella and swung it over her protectively, with impressive dexterity.

Touched by the simple gesture, Queen Clarisse looked to him to offer her thanks. She noticed, however, that his eyes seemed oddly focused on a particular point on her face. Before Clarisse could question him about it, she saw his gloved hand rise past her slightly parted lips. Wordlessly, the man began to wipe away at the moisture clinging to her cheek with gentle brushes of his thumb.

The queen felt her heart leap at his touch, and a blush began to build up in her cheeks again. She stared into his pale blue eyes uncertainly, unsure of how to react. Clarisse was quite sure that her bodyguard had overstepped a boundary of some kind. And yet, she was uncomfortably aware that she was making no move to pull away from his lingering hand.

The two of them locked gazes.

"T-the rain..." Joseph explained hastily, breaking away at last, as if suddenly realising what he had just done. He quickly withdrew his hand stiffly back to his side.

Clarisse nodded mutely, not daring herself to speak.

Was he...blushing? It was hard to tell as his face was nearly completely shadowed by the hovering umbrella.

Wait a minute – was _she_ still blushing? _That_ would be much more apparent, what with her fair skin and all. Clarisse quickly turned away from Joseph as the implications of her last thought hit her, eyes widening in horror.

_Oh dear_.

Her heart was pounding furiously. She felt a lump rise in her throat. Did she...?

A sudden rapid succession of pitter patters nearly made her jump out of her skin. The noise grew distinctly louder as the rain drops pelted their umbrella mercilessly.

"Let's go before it really starts pouring." Joseph suggested, as normally as he could.

There was a tensed silence.

"Yes." She breathed, her eyes looking determinedly away from him.

**XxxxxxxX**

The lovers tore away from each other at last as the first few drops of rain splashed messily about them. Weaving dextrously through the air, the butterflies fluttered away in opposite directions and disappeared into the film of rain.

**~ T B C ~**


End file.
